Men's Ice Hockey

Bears Shutout by #17 Dartmouth, 3-0

PROVIDENCE, RI – For the second time in its last three games, the Brown men's hockey team (7-11-4, 5-9-1) held a considerable advantage in shots on goal, but came out on the losing end in the scoreboard, as #17 Dartmouth (13-6-3, 9-4-2) scored once in each period to earn a 3-0 win over the Bears on Friday evening at Meehan Auditorium. It marks the second time in the last three games that Brown has been shutout, despite outshooting its opponent by nearly a 2-1 margin.

Things did not start well for the Bears, as Dartmouth grabbed a 1-0 lead just 35 seconds after the opening faceoff. Doug Jones won a draw back to Nick Walsh to the right of junior Mike Clemente (Great Falls, VA). Walsh took a quick shot from point-blank range that Clemente saved, but he picked up his own rebound and deposited it into the back of the net for the early lead.

Brown nearly tied the score at 1-1 less than five minutes later when junior Jeff Buvinow (Turnersville, NJ) fired a shot from the left point that clanged off the near post with both teams skating four players.

The Bears had a golden opportunity midway through the period to get on the board after a five-minute hitting from behind was called on Dartmouth's Evan Stephens. Brown controlled the puck for the majority of the five-minute advantage, but could take just four shots, all of which James Mello saved.

Brown ended up outshooting the Big Green, 12-9, during the period, and carried momentum into the second. However, it was more of the same, as the Bears failed to convert a power play chance in the sixth minute, despite several close looks. As time expired on the man-advantage, Dartmouth would go up on its second power play of the game and Matt Lindblad collected the puck on a rebound off the Zamboni door and back-handed it past Clemente glove-side for a 2-0 lead at 8:42.

The Bears outshot Dartmouth, 13-5, in the middle period, increasing their advantage in shots to 25-14 for the game. But, the Big Green continued to lead in the only stat that matters, taking a 2-0 advantage into the final 20 minutes.

Brown continued to press in the third period, building a 37-20 advantage in shots with 4:30 remaining in the contest. However, Mello and the Dartmouth defense continued to come up with big stops to keep the Bears off the scoreboard.

Head coach Brendan Whittet called a time out at the 15:30 mark and Brown looked for an opportunity to pull Clemente for the extra attacker, but a Dartmouth goal by Jones with 1:57 left put the game away for the Big Green, which was outshot 39-23.

Clemente finished with 20 saves, while Mello earned the shutout with 39 for the Big Green. The Bears are on the road for their next four games, as they travel to Clarkson and St. Lawrence to face the two North Country opponents in a pair of critical league games. Brown continues to sit one place behind Clarkson, which currently holds onto the final home-ice slot, and one place ahead of St. Lawrence.